Mouthpiece for wind instruments



Feb. 18, 1930. F. s. PABICH 1,747,732

MOUTHPIEGE FOR WIND INSTRUMENTS Filed April 19, 1929 Patented Feb. 18, 1930 UNETEB STATES FRANK S. IPABICH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS MOUTHPIECE FOR W'IND INSTRUMENTS Application filed April 19,

This invention relates to mouthpieces for wind instruments, and more particularly musical reed instruments. The principal object of this invention is to provide means for stabilizing the reed of the mouthpiece. It is well known that moisture causes rapid deterioration of the reed, and it soon becomes lifeless and loses its vibratory properties. According to the present invention, the usefulness of the reed is lengthened considerably whereby it may be used with satisfactory results for a much longer period than in the ordinary mouthpiece.

The invention consists, therefore, in the sevl eral novel features of construction, arrangement and combinations of parts hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the drawing accompanying this specification in 20 which Figure 1 is a plan of a mouthpiece embody ing a simple form of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation;

Fig. 3 is an elevation thereof looking in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a central vertical longitudinal section taken on the line H of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a view looking from below of the mouthpiece with the reed and clamp therefor 30 removed;

Fig. 6 is a fragmental plan, on enlarged scale, illustrating certain features in connection with an adjustment screw;

Fig. 7 is a vertical cross section illustrating a modified form of the invention, the line of section being indicated at 77 in Fig. 8; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmental side elevation of the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 7.

Referring to said drawing, and first to Figs. 1 t0 6, inclusive, which illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention, the reference character 10 designates the chambered body portion of a mouthpiece for wind instruments and 11 designates the tongue, formed of suitable material, such as reed, and commonly known as the reed. The reed is removably secured to the body of the mouthpiece by a clamp 12 which surrounds the body and reed and is provided with clamping screws 13 that extend through ears 1929. Serial No. 356,342.

14 and fasten the reed to the body. As is customary, the mouthpiece is formed with an inlet opening 15 having a mar inal lip over which the tongue extends.

Contained in the chamber 16 of the mouthpiece, and adjustably supported therein, is a light spring 17, which forms one element of the stabilizer. The spring may be formed of light auge wire, on one end of which is secured a transversely extending pad 18 formed of resilient material, such as cork, which is held in engagement with the inner side of the vibratory end 11* of the reed 11.

The spring 17 curves upward and backward from the pad 18 and extends backward towards the rear end of the chamber 16 where it is formed with a U-bend 19, the end 20 of which is secured in a threaded adjustment stud 21. The stud 21 is adjustably mounted in a bore 22 which is formed in the upper wall 10 of the mouthpiece, and said stud is held against rotation relative to the mouth piece body, as, for instance, by providing flat faces 23 and 24 on the stud and wall of the bore. The wall 10 of the body of the mouthpiece is formed with a slot 25 in which is received an adjustment nut 26 which is threadedly mounted upon the adjustment stud 21 and provides means for adjusting the stud 21 lengthwise in the bore and therewith moving the stabilizing spring toward or away from the vibratory end of the reed 11. A look nut 27 is threadedly secured upon the outer end of the adjustment stud and bears upon the upper face of the wall 10 to lock the parts adjusted position.

It will be observed that more or less pressure may be applied to the inner face of the reed 11 by adjusting the nut 26 in the proper direction, thereby increasing the clearance space between the vibratory portion of the reed and the lip of the inlet opening 15. The stabilizing spring when made of very light gauge and resilient material will permit of free vibration of the reed towards and away from the lip of the inlet opening, despite the fact that the reed may have become more or less lifeless due to the absorption of moisture. The result is that the reeds are capable of satisfactory use for a longer period of time with mouthpieces equipped with the present stabilizer than with ordinary mouthpieces unprovided with such stabilizing means.

In the modified form shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the adjustment mechanism for the stabilizer is accessible at the side of the mouthpiece instead of at the upper face thereof. As here shown, the stabilizing spring 1'? is secured upon the horizontally extending sleeve 21 through which extends a screw 21 which is threadedly secured in the wall 10 of the mouthpiece 10. The sleeve 21 extends through the wall of the mouthpiece, and upon its Outer end is a knurled head2l by means of which the sleeve 21 may be partially rotated to apply more or less pressure upon the vibratory portion of the reed. The head of the screw 21* is countersunk in the knurled head 21* of the sleeve and prevents endwise movement thereof.

Mounted upon the side of the wall of the mouthpiece is a dog 27 to engage wit-h the knurled edge of the head2l and hold the sleeve and therewith the stabilizing spring 17 in any position of adjustment. The dog 27 is adjustably held in place upon the wall of the mouthpiece by a thumb screw 27* which passes through a slot inthe dog 27 and is threadedly secured in the wall of the mouthpiece. To apply more or less tension to the reed, the thumb screw 27 is partially unscrewed, the dog retracted from the knurled head 21 and the latter turned in the proper direction to obtain the required tension upon the reed after which the dog is moved into engagement with the knurled head and the thumb screw screwed up to clamp the dog tightly in place.

It will be observed that with either form of the inventiop, the entire stabilizing spring is moved towards and away from the vibratory end of the reed whenever the stabilizing spring is adjusted, and furthermore that because of the light and resilient character of the spring and its eiiective length, it does not interfere with the vibration of the reed, but does yieldingly space it away from the lip of the inlet opening and enable it to function even after a long period of usage.

I claim:

1. In a mouthpiece for reed instruments, the combination of a chambered mouthpiece body having an inlet opening formed with a marginal lip, a reed secured to said body and covering said inlet opening and overlying said lip, and a resilient element contained in the chamber of the mouthpiece and yieldingly pressing against the inner side of the reed to yieldingly maintain .a clearance space between the reed and lip.

2. In a mouthpiece for reed instruments, the combination of a chambered mouthpiece body having an inlet opening formed with a marginal lip, a reed secured to said body and covering said inlet opening and over the mouthpiece and yieldingly pressing 7 against the inner side of the reed to maintain a clearance space between the reed and lip.-

3. In a mouthpiece for reed instruments, the combination of a chambered mouthpiece body having an inlet opening, a reed secured to said body and covering said inlet opening, and a stabilizing spring contained in the chamber of said body and yieldingly bearing against the inner side of said reed.

i. In a mouthpiece for reed instruments, the combination of a chambered mouthpiece having an inlet opening, a reed secured to said body and covering said inlet opening, and a stabilizing spring contained in the chamber of said body and having a pad yieldingly pressed against the inner side of said reed.

5. In a mouthpiece for reed instruments, the combination of a chambered mouthpiece body having an inlet opening, a reed secured to said body and covering said inlet opening, and an adj ustably mounted stabilizing spring contained in the chamber of said body and yieldingly bearing against the inner side of said reed.

6. Ina mouthpiece for reed instruments, the combination of a chambered mouthpiece body'having an inlet opening, a reed secured to said body and covering said inlet opening, a stabilizing spring contained in the chamber of said body and yieldingly bearing against the inner side of said reed, and an adjustment stud secured to said spring and adjustably mounted in the body of the mouthpiece.

7. In a mouthpiece for reed instruments, the combination of a chambered mouthpiece body having an inlet opening, a reed secured to said body and covering said inlet opening, a'stabilizing spring contained in the chamber of said body and yieldingly bearing against the inner side of said reed, an adjustment stud supporting said spring and extending through a wall of the body, and means for adjusting said stud lengthwise of itself and thereby applying more or less ten- V 'sion on the reed.

8. In a mouthpiece for reedinstruments, the combination of a chambered mouthpiece body having an inlet opening, a reed secured to said body and covering said inlet opening, a stabilizing spring contained in the chamber of said body and yieldingly bearing "against the inner side of said reed, an adj ustment stud secured to said spring and extending out through the body of the mouthpiece,

an adjustment nut threadedly mounted upon said adjustment stud, and a lock nut on said adjustment stud.

9. In a mouthpiece for reed instruments, the combination of a chambered mouthpiece body havlng an inlet opening, areed secured to said body and covering said inlet opening, a stabilizing spring contained in the chamber of said body and yieldinglv bearing against the inner side of said reed, an adjustment stud extending out through the body of ner side of said reed, and an adjustably' mounted support for the other end of said spring.

11. In a mouthpiece for reed instruments, the combination of a chambered mouthpiece body having an inlet opening formed with a marginal rib, a reed removably secured to said body and covering said inlet opening and overlying the marginal lip, a stabilizing spring contained in the chamber of the body and having a cork pad on one end yieldingly engaging with the inner side of the reed, and an adjustment stud for the other end of the spring.

12. In a mouthpiece for reed instruments, the combination of a chambered mouthpiece body having an inlet opening formed with a marginal lip, a reed removably secured upon said body and covering said inlet opening and overlying said lip, a stabilizing spring contained in the chamber of the body and having a pad on one end engaging with the inner side of the reed, its other end having a U-bend thereon, and an adjustably mounted support for the terminal end of said U-bend.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this 17th day of April, 1929.

FRANK S. PABICH. 

